No. 1554 - North Hobart - Ware Street Baptist Mission (1927-1949)
Ware Street, (now Feltham Street) was the location of a Sunday school and Mission which operated for a period of almost 90 years. The neighbourhood around Federal Street (previously called Colville Street) and Feltham Street was once an area of considerable poverty. This article will focus on the Ware Street Baptist Mission which was established in the mid 1920s.
The Ware Street Mission hall was built in 1859 as a branch of the Campbell Street Sunday School Association. [See No. 1550] In 1885 the building was sold by the Sunday School Association. Out of concern that the area would no longer have a place of worship, the building was rented by the Holy Trinity Anglican parish. The building then became known as as the ‘Ware Street Mission’. It was used as an Anglican mission until 1896 when a new brick Mission building was constructed on Federal Street. The Ware Street hall was then used for a variety of purposes including a public hall. In 1927 it became the premises of an “Undenominational Mission” led by Sister Ruby Livingstone (1885-1966), a deaconess at the Elizabeth Street Baptist Church.
Sister Livingston’s work amongst the poor in North Hobart began in 1919 following her dedication as a deaconess at the Elizabeth Street Baptist Church. The Hobart Mercury reported:
“At the service on Sunday evening at the Baptist Church, Hobart, the Rev. E. H. Hobday extended a welcome to, and at the same time solemnly dedicated Sister Livingstone as deaconess of the church. He said that Sister Livingstone had been called by God to her position as much as he himself had been called to his ministry, and he trusted that her work for the Master would be crowned with success, and that she would take the sunshine of God's love into the hearts and homes of many. The appointment of Sister Livingstone is a new departure in the work of the church, and at a recent meeting of members was unanimously confirmed. Sister Livingstone commenced her duties this month”.
Baptist Church historian Laurie Rowston writes:
"During the year [1919], representatives of the church visited the North Hobart area as part of an interchurch inquiry into the needs of the district brought about by the influenza epidemic. As an outcome, the church appointed Ruby Livingstone as "Sister", to engage in the work of caring for the needy and assisting necessitous cases. Sister Livingstone proved her fitness for the position and did a magnificent work, assisted materially by a number of ladies in the church".
Progress towards opening a Mission was advanced following a ‘Garden Fete’ in December 1926. The Mercury reported:
“The beautiful grounds of Minallo, the residence of Mr. G. Phillips, at West Hobart, were on Saturday afternoon the scene of a garden fete, which was held to raise funds with which to assist Sister R. Livingstone in her charitable work among the poor of the city. Sister Livingstone's charity touches homes in poor circumstances, which often escape the notice of organised missions and charitable societies, and she has the help of a committee, of which Mr. J. Soundy, M.H.A., is chairman….Mrs. Rogers, in declaring the fete open, said she hoped it would be most successful, for there was no work more worthy than that which Sister Livingstone was doing among the poor of Hobart”.
In 1927 the Ware Street Mission opened and was run by a small band of workers led by Sister Livingstone as superintendent. An evening service and Sunday School was held every Sunday and a Christian Endeavour Society and other activities took place some evenings. The homes of the poor were visited and parcels of food and clothing were given to the needy. At Christmas small gifts were distributed to children in the neighbourhood.
The Mission operated until 1943. One of the last reports concerning the Mission dates to December 1942:
“A successful fair was held at the Ware St. Mission. Hobart, on Saturday afternoon and night. Mrs G. O. Smith, who officially opened the fair, paid tribute to the efforts of the workers at the mission, particularly Sister Livingstone, the superintendent. Their work of caring for the spiritual and physical needs of the people, she said, was done in a quiet and unostentatious way and, unfortunately, was known only to a few. The home front, as well as the battle front, had to be cared for. The stalls did a good trade in articles suited for Christmas gifts”.
The work of the mission continued until 1949 when the hall was sold and converted into a residence. About this time Sister Ruby Livingstone disappears from the record. She died on 1 June 1966. No trace remains of the old Mission building which stood on 60 Feltham Street.
The Ware Street Mission hall was built in 1859 as a branch of the Campbell Street Sunday School Association. [See No. 1550] In 1885 the building was sold by the Sunday School Association. Out of concern that the area would no longer have a place of worship, the building was rented by the Holy Trinity Anglican parish. The building then became known as as the ‘Ware Street Mission’. It was used as an Anglican mission until 1896 when a new brick Mission building was constructed on Federal Street. The Ware Street hall was then used for a variety of purposes including a public hall. In 1927 it became the premises of an “Undenominational Mission” led by Sister Ruby Livingstone (1885-1966), a deaconess at the Elizabeth Street Baptist Church.
Sister Livingston’s work amongst the poor in North Hobart began in 1919 following her dedication as a deaconess at the Elizabeth Street Baptist Church. The Hobart Mercury reported:
“At the service on Sunday evening at the Baptist Church, Hobart, the Rev. E. H. Hobday extended a welcome to, and at the same time solemnly dedicated Sister Livingstone as deaconess of the church. He said that Sister Livingstone had been called by God to her position as much as he himself had been called to his ministry, and he trusted that her work for the Master would be crowned with success, and that she would take the sunshine of God's love into the hearts and homes of many. The appointment of Sister Livingstone is a new departure in the work of the church, and at a recent meeting of members was unanimously confirmed. Sister Livingstone commenced her duties this month”.
Baptist Church historian Laurie Rowston writes:
"During the year [1919], representatives of the church visited the North Hobart area as part of an interchurch inquiry into the needs of the district brought about by the influenza epidemic. As an outcome, the church appointed Ruby Livingstone as "Sister", to engage in the work of caring for the needy and assisting necessitous cases. Sister Livingstone proved her fitness for the position and did a magnificent work, assisted materially by a number of ladies in the church".
Progress towards opening a Mission was advanced following a ‘Garden Fete’ in December 1926. The Mercury reported:
“The beautiful grounds of Minallo, the residence of Mr. G. Phillips, at West Hobart, were on Saturday afternoon the scene of a garden fete, which was held to raise funds with which to assist Sister R. Livingstone in her charitable work among the poor of the city. Sister Livingstone's charity touches homes in poor circumstances, which often escape the notice of organised missions and charitable societies, and she has the help of a committee, of which Mr. J. Soundy, M.H.A., is chairman….Mrs. Rogers, in declaring the fete open, said she hoped it would be most successful, for there was no work more worthy than that which Sister Livingstone was doing among the poor of Hobart”.
In 1927 the Ware Street Mission opened and was run by a small band of workers led by Sister Livingstone as superintendent. An evening service and Sunday School was held every Sunday and a Christian Endeavour Society and other activities took place some evenings. The homes of the poor were visited and parcels of food and clothing were given to the needy. At Christmas small gifts were distributed to children in the neighbourhood.
The Mission operated until 1943. One of the last reports concerning the Mission dates to December 1942:
“A successful fair was held at the Ware St. Mission. Hobart, on Saturday afternoon and night. Mrs G. O. Smith, who officially opened the fair, paid tribute to the efforts of the workers at the mission, particularly Sister Livingstone, the superintendent. Their work of caring for the spiritual and physical needs of the people, she said, was done in a quiet and unostentatious way and, unfortunately, was known only to a few. The home front, as well as the battle front, had to be cared for. The stalls did a good trade in articles suited for Christmas gifts”.
The work of the mission continued until 1949 when the hall was sold and converted into a residence. About this time Sister Ruby Livingstone disappears from the record. She died on 1 June 1966. No trace remains of the old Mission building which stood on 60 Feltham Street.
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| The Mercury, May 1933 |
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| The Mercury, December 1943 |
Sources:
The Mercury, Tuesday 4 November 1919, page 5
Mercury, Tuesday 30 March 1920, page 6
Mercury, Monday 6 December 1926, page 5
Mercury, Monday 29 May 1933, page 3
Mercury, Monday 30 November 1931, page 3
Mercury, Saturday 12 December 1942, page 12
Mercury, Monday 14 December 1942, page 4
Rowston, Laurence F and Hobart Baptist Church. One hundred years of witness : a history of the Hobart Baptist Church, 1884-1984 / Laurence F. Rowston Hobart Baptist Church Hobart 1984
The Mercury, Tuesday 4 November 1919, page 5
Mercury, Tuesday 30 March 1920, page 6
Mercury, Monday 6 December 1926, page 5
Mercury, Monday 29 May 1933, page 3
Mercury, Monday 30 November 1931, page 3
Mercury, Saturday 12 December 1942, page 12
Mercury, Monday 14 December 1942, page 4
Rowston, Laurence F and Hobart Baptist Church. One hundred years of witness : a history of the Hobart Baptist Church, 1884-1984 / Laurence F. Rowston Hobart Baptist Church Hobart 1984
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